This week in Rome, around 240 delegates from more than forty countries, representing around 100 million people, presented their priorities to the representatives of our G8 governments – the sherpas that prepare the territory before the Summit. There were development organisations, climate change groups, trade unions – a broad range of civil society. (The G8 Sherpas literally surrounded by civil society delegates from all over the world was quite a sight.) Despite that breadth, the messages that came out on alleviating poverty for the poorest in the world were loud and consistent. The food crisis was top of the agenda – the crisis that many feel has been forgotten amid the economic and financial problems engulfing the globe. Justice and fairness were themes: there was a strong call for a new kind of global governance whereby decision making processes include developing nations’ governments as well as representatives of civil society from all over the world.

The document that NGOs presented to the sherpas covered five different topics: basic necessities, climate change and the environment, food and agriculture sovereignty, global governance and finally, finance and labour.

The meeting was hosted by the City of Rome in collaboration with the Italian Coalition of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). We heard positive remarks from the Sherpas about how the G8 Summit will focus on Africa, agriculture and climate change. ONE’s priorities are to see the G8 stump up at least the money they promised during these difficult times – we need a stimulus for sub-Saharan Africa. It was also reassuring to hear the Sherpas affirm unanimously that the so-called “Whole Country Approach” – whereby the whole range of investments from donor countries into developing countries, including charities, business, private donations, be counted up and just aid contributions, -will not detract from existing ODA commitments and is no replacement for these. All organisations clearly reaffirmed that rich countries must keep their promises so that innovative financing, other contributions, remittances and other investments must be additional to existing ODA pledges.

There’s a lot of work to be done between now and July. The G8 must deliver on their aid promises, we need an ambitious plan to fill the spending gaps on agriculture and we must make crucial investments in the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, health systems, education, and water. There’s quite a way to go before we reach that Summit. Stay tuned for the climb.

-Eloise Todd